HK1076216B - Network game method, network game terminal, and server - Google Patents

Description

Network game method, network game terminal and server

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a network game method, a network game terminal, and a game server which are developed on a communication network, and more particularly, to a network game method, a network game terminal, and a game server which can perform a multi-party call in a network game (hereinafter, also referred to as an online game) in which a plurality of players (hereinafter, also referred to as participants) participate.

Background

In recent years, online games, which launch various games called Role Playing Games (RPG) or battle games on a network, are becoming popular. In such an online game, it is desired to improve the attractiveness and value thereof, and for example, in a group match network game between fighter groups, a conversation with a fellow match or a competitor is carried out, and as a communication method at that time, a chat-type conversation or a general telephone is used.

However, the chat-type dialog requires a keyboard to be used together with the game operation to input characters, which makes the operation troublesome and the response poor, thus preventing the game from being smoothly performed. In addition, communication by a general telephone or the like requires a large financial charge for the player in the conventional telephone fee system, and is an inappropriate communication method for a game which requires a long time to be played. Further, although many-to-many conversation is possible in the present day by a general telephone, in many-to-many conversation, it is impossible to temporarily switch to a conversation of 1 to 1 or the like.

Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2001-314657 discloses a network game system having a voice exchange device such as an internet phone between a pilot character and an executive character, and describes that reality is maintained in a game by applying a voice effect. However, the technique described in this publication is limited to the two-party call, and there is no technique for performing a multi-party call in a battle game or the like. The sound effect described above is merely an effect of applying sound pressure and sound quality processing to the sound at the time of transmission, and it is difficult to obtain an effect of dramatically improving the live feeling or realistic feeling of the game.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a network game method capable of performing multi-party communication by using an IP telephone or an Internet telephone in a network game in which a plurality of players participate, and provides a network terminal and a game server capable of performing multi-party communication.

The invention provides a network game method using a terminal with an IP telephone communication mode and a plurality of players, which is characterized in that: by managing the IP addresses of the players, a call signal including a specific IP address is selectively received, so that a multi-party call can be performed among the players.

In the network game method, it is preferable that the telephone device receives a musical tone signal including game effect tone data and game message data in addition to the telephone signal.

The invention provides a network game terminal with a communicator capable of IP telephone, which is characterized in that: the terminal voice receiving part includes: a game communication unit for transmitting and receiving a program signal for controlling the network game; a game control unit for controlling a participant IP management unit, an allocation unit, and a composition unit, which will be described later, based on the signal; a participant IP management unit for managing the IP addresses of online game participants; a network receiving unit for receiving call data; an allocation unit for determining whether the received call data has a specific IP address and sending the call data to the extension unit; an extension unit for restoring the transmitted call data; a synthesizing unit that synthesizes the restored call data in time series; a D/A converter for converting the synthesized digital signal of the call data into an analog signal; and a microphone/speaker I/F section as a connection section with the telephone communication apparatus.

Preferably, the network receiving unit receives the call data and receives musical tone data relating to a network game.

Preferably, the voice receiving unit of the terminal further includes an incoming call transmitting unit for transmitting an incoming call notification sound stored in advance to the synthesizing unit in accordance with the instruction of the assigning unit.

Further, the present invention provides a network game server having, as a network game execution unit, a data storage unit in which data relating to a network game is stored; a game processing part for determining, managing, processing and transmitting and receiving the data according to the progress of the network game; a match management part for managing the game in each match; and a game communication unit for transmitting and receiving control program signals of the network game to and from the network terminal device, wherein the network game server has a function of acquiring an IP address of the terminal device connected to the network and notifying the IP address to other terminal devices.

Preferably, the data storage unit stores sound effect data and message data in addition to the video data, and the network game execution unit further includes: a communication processing unit that receives a request from the game processing unit to perform transmission processing of musical sound data related to the sound effect data and the message data; a control unit for controlling the communication processing unit and the game processing unit; a network transmitting part for transmitting the musical sound data to the network terminal.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an overall schematic view showing a preferred network game method of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a participation registration process for entering a network game.

Fig. 3 is a block configuration diagram of a network game execution unit in the management server.

Fig. 4 is an example of a screen displayed on a terminal of a player on the transmission side when a player on the line transmits a call to another player.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the audio receiving unit of the network game terminal.

Detailed Description

The preferred network game method of the present invention will be described with reference to an embodiment in which a plurality of players participate in a battle game.

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the whole of the present invention, and in fig. 1, a 1 st team 10 of participants A, B, C and a 2 nd team 20 of participants D, E, F participate in a competitive online game. The terminals 12 and 12 … of the players a to F and the server 30 providing the network game service are connected to the internet 40.

The communication device 14 is provided in the terminal 12, 12 … of each of the players a to F, and the IP telephone communication is performed by the terminal having the communication device 14 in the present invention. The IP telephone in the present invention is a system for transmitting and receiving digitized voice data via the internet 40, and includes an internet telephone for transmitting and receiving voice data via the public internet. In the present invention, the network game players a to F can perform a desired 1-to-1 call without being limited to many-to-many and 1-to-many internet phones. That is, a 1-to-many or 1-to-1 communication that can be temporarily switched can be performed by a multiparty communication between players or control from the game screen.

Various methods can be used for determining the participants who enter the network game, and for example, the participants who are opponents or the team can be determined by the methods such as japanese patent application laid-open No. 11-253657, international application publication No. WO01/27771, and the like.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing a participant login process into the network game, and the processing procedures of the management server 30 providing the network game service in fig. 2 are placed in the middle, and the processing procedures of the players a to C of the 1 st team 10 and the players D to F of the 2 nd team 20 are shown on the right and left sides thereof. The processing procedures of players A to C on team 1 and players D to F on team 2 are the same.

Each player A-F confirms that the terminal 12 is connected to the network (21), and performs connection through a predetermined connection operation (22) when the terminal is not connected. Next, in a predetermined participation step (23) of each of the players a to F, the management server 30 receives the participation step for each of the different competing games, and performs a predetermined acceptance process (24) of the network game. That is, the management server 30 makes confirmation and inquiry about each of the players a to F (25), and determines whether or not all the participants are present (26). When all participants are judged to be present, the management server 30 obtains the IP addresses of all players (27), and notifies the players A to F of the IP addresses of all participants and the IP address of the management server (28). These IP addresses are stored in a participant IP management unit 53 described later which is included in the terminal device 12 of each of the players a to F. The IP addresses of the players may be obtained in the participation step (23) of the players a to F, the reception process (24) of the management server 30, and any other steps.

Next, the management server 30 that provides the network game service will be described. Fig. 3 is a block configuration diagram of a network game execution unit in the management server, the execution unit including: a game video data storage unit 31 for storing data relating to the network game; a game effect sound data storage unit 32; a game message data storage unit 33; a game processing unit 34 for determining, managing, processing, and transmitting/receiving the data according to the progress of the network game; a match management unit 35 for managing the game for each match; a game communication unit 36 for transmitting and receiving program signals for controlling the network game to and from the player terminal 12; in addition, the device also comprises: a communication processing unit 37 that receives the request from the game processing unit 34 and performs sound (musical sound) transmission processing; a control unit 38 for controlling the game processing unit 34 and the communication processing unit 37; a network transmission unit 39 corresponding to a transmission unit of a so-called IP telephone.

The game video data storage unit 31 also stores character data separated from video, such as a caption overlay (super) or a caption program (telop) in the network game. These data and an audio signal, which is a normal game sound, are transmitted from the game communication unit 36 to a reception unit (not shown) of each game program of the terminal device 12 together with the game video data in the same manner as in a conventionally known network game server. On the other hand, in response to a request from the game processing unit 34 referring to the match management unit 35, the control unit 38 instructs the communication processing unit 37 to extract tone data and transmission preparation for the game effect sound data such as sounds, music, and sounds used in the network game and game message data such as a game message transmitted from a meter or the like during the game (these are collectively referred to as tone data), and the tone data and transmission preparation are transmitted from the network transmission unit 39 to the network reception unit 54 of the terminal device 12 described later.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a terminal screen of a player, which is displayed on the terminal 12 of the player on the transmission side when the player on the line transmits a call to another player, and a game image is omitted. On the upper side of the display screen 41, connection button groups 42 (all opponents) and 43 (each opponent) for transmitting to the 1 st team (opponent) are arranged, and on the lower side of the display screen 41, connection button groups 44 (all people of my) and 45 (each person of my) for transmitting to the 2 nd team (my) are arranged. Further, depending on the contents of the network game, buttons may be provided to permit transmission from each sender to a specific plurality of players, or transmission from each sender to all players.

The sender player can send the target call data to the target caller (sender) by selecting any one of the connection buttons 42 to 45 (mouse click or keyboard input) displayed on the terminal screen.

Next, the player's terminal 12 to which the communication device is connected will be described.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a sound receiving unit of the network game terminal device 12, the receiving unit including: a game communication unit 51 connected via the game communication unit 36 of the management server 30 and the internet network 40 and configured to transmit and receive a program signal for controlling the network game; a game control unit 52 for controlling the whole of the sound receiving unit based on the signal; a participant IP management unit 53 for managing the IP addresses of online game participants; a network receiving unit 54 that receives call data and musical sound data via the internet network 40; an assigning unit 55 for determining whether or not the received call data has a predetermined IP address, and sending the call data to an extension unit 56 described below; an extension unit 56 for restoring the transmitted speech data and musical sound data; a synthesizing unit 57 for synthesizing the restored speech data and musical sound data in time series; a D/a converter 58 for converting the synthesized digital signal of the call data and the musical sound data into an analog signal; a microphone/speaker I/F section 59 as a connection section for connecting to analog devices such as a microphone and a speaker; and an incoming call transmitting unit 60 for storing a previously prepared incoming call notification sound (sound, electronic sound, etc.) and transmitting the notification sound to the synthesizing unit 57 in accordance with an instruction from the assigning unit 55.

In fig. 5, the IP address data transmitted from the game communication unit 36 of the management server 30 is received by the game communication unit 51 and stored in the participant IP management unit 53 in accordance with an instruction from the game control unit 52.

In the game terminal device 12 connected to the network, a call signal transmitted from another player is received by the network reception unit 54 and transmitted to the distribution unit 55. The assigning unit 55 determines whether or not the signal has an IP address registered in advance in the participant IP management unit 53, and sequentially transmits the signal related to the registered IP address to the extending unit 56. It is also desirable that the spreading unit 56 be provided with a plurality of spreading units 56a and 56b … for each received signal, taking into account obstacles such as delays. The digital signals normalized by the expansion unit 56 are then sent to the combining unit 57 and combined in time series. In addition, it is preferable that the combining unit 57 be a signal to which a time stamp is added in order to perform time-series accurate combining.

The digital signal synthesized by the synthesis unit 57 is analog-converted by the D/a conversion unit 58, and then output to the speaker of the communication device 14 via the microphone/speaker I/F unit 59. The synthesis in the synthesis unit 57 may be either digital synthesis or analog synthesis, and when analog synthesis is performed, the positional relationship between the synthesis unit 57 and the D/a conversion unit 58 is reversed in fig. 5.

The synthesis unit 57 synthesizes the call data transmitted from the other players and the musical sound data (game effect sound or game message) transmitted from the management server 30 according to the type of the network game and other requirements. That is, a signal including musical tone data transmitted from the network transmission unit 39 of the management server 30 is also received by the network reception unit 54, is transmitted to the assignment unit 55 in the same manner as the call signal of the player, is synthesized by the synthesis unit 57, and is output to the speaker of the call device 14.

In the above-described determination by the assigning unit 55, when it is determined that the received signal is not a signal related to the registered IP address, the signal is discarded, or an instruction to transmit a transmission sound to the incoming call transmission unit 60 is made, and the transmission sound is transmitted to the synthesizing unit 57. By outputting the transmission sound to the speaker, the player receiving the signal can also perceive the telephone connection from the non-participant.

That is, in the present invention, it is possible to provide a service by using call data transmitted from a place other than a game participant as an incoming call sound as desired.

In addition, regardless of the determination of the registered IP address, the assigning unit 55 may discard the reception signal of the specific person or all the reception signals in accordance with the instruction of the game control unit 52 as the game progresses. Such control signals of musical sound data are transmitted by the game communication unit 36 under the control of the game processing unit 34 of the management server 30 for each game according to the progress status thereof, and are received by the game communication unit 51 of the game terminal device 12. The processing of the game control unit 52 is effective in a case where a specific player is extinguished or quitted in a battle game or the like.

The network game method according to the present invention enables simultaneous communication among a plurality of participants of the network game, particularly 3 or more participants of the network game, and enables the communication among the players and the partners to be realistic or realistic by adjusting the intensity of the game effect sound and the game message, so that the effects of improving the game completion and the satisfaction of the players are remarkable.

Further, even in a network game, a telephone connection from a non-player can be perceived, and in an internet phone or an IP phone which is expected to become a mainstream of a communication method in the future, a remarkable effect of eliminating a feeling of uneasiness caused by a long-time use of the game is obtained.

Claims (2)

1. An online game terminal having a communication device capable of IP telephony, the voice receiving unit of the terminal comprising:

a game communication unit for transmitting and receiving a program signal for controlling the network game;

a game control unit for controlling a participant IP management unit, an allocation unit, and a composition unit, which will be described later, based on the signal;

a participant IP management unit for managing the IP addresses of online game participants;

a network receiving unit for receiving call data;

an allocation unit for determining whether the received call data has a predetermined IP address and sending the call data to the extension unit;

a plurality of extension units for restoring the transmitted call data;

a synthesizing unit that synthesizes the restored call data in time series;

a D/A converter for converting the synthesized digital signal of the call data into an analog signal;

a microphone/speaker I/F section as a connection section with the telephone communication apparatus; and

and an incoming call transmitting unit for transmitting an incoming call notification sound stored in advance to the synthesizing unit in accordance with an instruction from the assigning unit when the assigning unit determines that the received call data does not have a predetermined IP address.

2. The network game terminal according to claim 1, wherein said network receiving unit receives music data relating to the network game in addition to said call data.